Role: Resident Services Officer
Salary: £33,162 to £34,986
The Resident Services Officer delivers resident led services that supports tenants and home owners throughout their occupancy of JMB properties, ensuring that legal and financial requirements are fulfilled and giving individual support on housing matters. Acting as block champions, the postholder also works with colleagues to ensure that they are clean, safe and well maintained. Creating an environment where residents are proud to live and positively participate in the JMB community.
An important part of the role is being visible on our estates and listening and talking to our residents
The Resident Services Officer reports to the Resident Services Manager; as part of a close-knit team that is focused on delivering high quality services to our residents. The postholder will be allocated a patch of properties and will be expected to deliver services without the need for constant supervision. In addition to the Resident Services Manager, there are Senior Resident Officers within the team who have an expertise on a specialist area and who can give guidance to colleagues on this and other complex issues. Additionally, all postholder’s will be required to provide cover for colleagues’ absence, albeit tasks may be outside the person’s allocated patch. In delivering the role, the postholder will be required to walk to and around our estates and climb stairs to residents’ accommodation; on occasion without access to a lift.
Notes for candidates
Unless stated Desirable (D) all criteria are essential. Criteria noted under experience and knowledge will be assessed at shortlisting stage and may be discussed further in any interview.
Experience
1. Experience of working in a customer facing role in a social housing field, including providing support to vulnerable people.
2. Experience of dealing effectively with conflict.
3. Experience of applying housing management procedure and/or regulations where the immediate course of action is unclear.
4. Experience of undertaking a variety of administrative and financial tasks in a structured environment to support the delivery of services.
Education and Knowledge
1. Good knowledge of tenancy management, especially combatting anti-social behaviour.
2. Good knowledge of safety issues affecting residents living in blocks, especially tower blocks.
3. Knowledge of support available to vulnerable people and how best to support tenants to maintain rent payments and obtain their benefit entitlement
4. Understanding of equality and diversity issues and their impact of the delivery of the job role.
5. To hold Chartered Institute of Housing level 4 qualification, a Housing degree or similar professional qualification, or to demonstrate relevant experience to attain the breadth of knowledge.
6. Knowledge of home ownership management. Including, basic knowledge of homeowner service charge billing and collection process D
7. Basic knowledge of repair ordering and block maintenance. D
Skills and Abilities
1. Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with a wide range of audiences, including; referrals to other agencies, answering complex queries and complaints so that information is readily understood.
2. Good inter-personal skills including ability to work constructively with colleagues.
3. Ability to undertake duties and respond to unplanned circumstances without the availability of immediate supervision.
Date:- November 2019
The Resident Services Officer delivers resident led services that supports tenants and home owners throughout their occupancy of JMB properties, ensuring that legal and financial requirements are fulfilled and giving individual support on housing matters. Acting as block champions, the postholder also works with colleagues to ensure that they are clean, safe and well maintained. Creating an environment where residents are proud to live and positively participate in the JMB community.
An important part of the role is being visible on our estates and listening and talking to our residents
Main Accountabilities
1. Provide the first and visible point of contact for housing related matters raised by tenants and homeowners. Ensure that issues raised are comprehensively case managed, where necessary engaging other JMB services or routing to other providers; so that resident issues are resolved.
2. Manage residents’ interactions with the JMB throughout the tenancy lifecycle, from pre-occupancy viewing, tenancy checks, introductory visits, rent collection, through to tenancy cessation. This may include occasions where a tenant’s actions require the application of legal action as a final escalation stage and post residency actions, such as debt recovery.
3. Provide a comprehensive home ownership management service, applying JMB policies and procedures. Including, participating in home owner consultation activities, verification of right to buy information, resident/ landlord disputes, home owner name changes, insurance claims, implementation of home owner charges. Where required participate in legal matters; including referrals to First Tier (Leasehold) Tribunal.
4. Pursue appropriate action in relation to; unauthorised occupants, rough-sleepers, incidents of anti-social behaviour, including fly tipping and drug offences. Dependent on severity, working with the police and other agencies, including preparation for and attendance at Court when required.
5. Support JMB tenants to obtain re-housing, within the Southwark Council policy Tackle unlawful sub-letting of secure tenancies
6. Work with vulnerable residents, including victims of domestic violence, hoarders and those with multiple needs such as the ailing elderly. Ensure their needs are met through supportive landlord services and provide a signposting service to partner organisations for residents with additional needs.
7. Identify and act upon issues affecting the safety and appearance of our blocks. Order and chase repairs. Challenge unauthorised works e.g. satellite dishes, estates agents’ boards. Enforce tenancy and home owner agreements.
8. Continually apply estate regulations and good housekeeping activities, e.g. responding to fire safety risks, coordinating housing management inspections, mandatory gas safety checks, including force-entries and parking controls.
9. Participate in maintenance/ repairs activities and their delivery through; ordering repairs, liaison with external contractors, working with JMB colleagues to respond to resident queries and complaints, working with residents to ascertain repairing responsibilities when leaks and other repairable damage is reported. As required, contribute to plans for the improvement initiatives.
10. Support resident participation in the JMB community. Participate in publicising JMB activities, encourage individuals’ involvement in social events and to play an active role in the management of our services through; TRAs, sub-groups, the JMB Board and resident initiatives such as pensioners’ project.
11. Maintain JMB IT systems, administrative and financial procedures and deal with all correspondence in connection with housing, home owner charges and rent arrears work, including resident, Director and external enquiries.
We are looking to fill the position at the earliest possible and applications will be considered on an ongoing basis till filled.
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